Ink-jet printing has become a popular way of recording images on various media surfaces such as plain papers, coated papers, plastic films, co-extruded paper-plastic composites, textiles, indoor and outdoor banners, signage, etc. The majority of commercial ink-jet inks are water based. Because of their water-based nature, ink-jet ink systems, in general, tend to exhibit poorer image permanence and durability when exposed to water or high humidity when compared to other printing methods.
Latex ink-jet printing is a new technology in ink-jet printing. In latex ink-jet printing, the latex particulates can act as a binder, improving adhesion of pigmented colorants to the media surface. The binding power of latex particulates depends greatly upon their film-forming capability. Stronger film-forming capabilities generally correlate with better adhesion. There are, however, compromises in formulating latex inks for ink-jet printing. In particular, latexes possessing strong film-forming capabilities may enhance latex ink adhesion but may also adversely impact ink-jet architecture reliability and jettability.